Shinsuke Nakamura def. TJ Perkins

In his first match back after an injury suffered at TakeOver: San Antonio, The King of Strong Style battles TJ Perkins. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

Despite making his return from a brutal knee injury suffered last month, Shinsuke Nakamura did not take any baby steps in testing his rehabbed joint, tangling with submission wrestling specialist TJ Perkins in his return match.

The two Superstars are plenty familiar with each other, having trained together in New Japan Pro Wrestling’s dojos in California and Japan. Both men felt each other out at first, trying to get in the other’s head, until Nakamura evaded a wrecking ball dropkick from Perkins, sending The Fil-Am Flash crashing into the ring apron.

Perkins turned the bout in his favor by targeting The King of Strong Style’s previously-injured knee. The former Cruiserweight Champion used his speed and agility to stay on the attack, working over Nakamura’s knee. Perkins locked on his trademark kneebar, but The King of Strong Style fought out and battled back, clobbering TJP with the Kinshasa to pick up the victory.

With his return out of the way, Nakamura will now turn his attention to next week’s NXT Championship showdown between Bobby Roode and Kassius Ohno. Regal revealed that the winner of that bout will defend the title against The King of Strong Style at TakeOver: Orlando on Saturday, April 1.